A lineup can be considered as a list of services that are broadcast and an amount of tuning information that allows one to tune to that service. A service 9 refers to a producer of broadcast content that is distributed by a service provider. Examples of services include HBO, CNN and BBC One, to name just a few. Services can also include audio-only or data services. Along with services, scheduling information—which refers to program names, presentation times and other data associated with individual programs—can be associated to provide an electronic program guide (EPG) or simply a “guide”, which is typically visually presented to a user in the form of a grid with rows and columns. When used as a noun, a “guide” refers to the platform object that stores information about programs and their scheduled broadcasts. A platform object is an abstraction for a piece of code that can be used by multiple processes or applications. As an adjective, “guide” is used to describe data from which a guide is created. Using an EPG and its associated visual presentation (i.e. a grid) or user interface (UI), a user or viewer can ascertain when desired programs are to be broadcast and can make appropriate program selections and viewing decisions such as viewing a particular program in the present, selecting a particular program for recording in the future on, for example, a personal video recorder (PVR), digital video recorder (DVR), and the like.
When guide accuracy breaks down, however, so too does the user's experience. As an example, consider the following.
In some markets, a complete set of guide information or data may not be available. For example, necessary or accurate tuning information (i.e. that information that allows one to receive and process an appropriate signal) may not be available for individual services in a broadcast area. Specifically, in some countries of the world, tuning information received from data providers is not as precise as it is in the United States. For example, as one travels from region to region, one may find the same service being broadcast on a different frequency. Yet, the data provider that provides the tuning information may not know of, or otherwise be able to provide accurate tuning information for services in these different regions. Hence, inaccurate information can ultimately end up being presented to a user which, in turn, degrades not only their experience, but adversely affects the ability of the data provider to provide satisfactory service to their customers.
Another problem that can exist stems from the use of non-standard transmission frequencies as between, for example, cable providers or headends. Specifically, in some markets, it has been observed that as one moves from headend to headend, transmission frequencies are not standardized and, in fact, vary. A headend, in the cable industry, refers to equipment at a physical location that services a geographic area by broadcasting a signal for a single lineup. A digital headend, however, may support multiple lineups.
Additionally, consider the notion of a tuning space. A tuning space refers to a particular broadcast medium and the ways to tune to it. Each tuning space may require a different way of tuning that a guide data provider may or may not support. In the case where the guide data provider does not have the appropriate tuning space information, the user would be unable to tune to programs broadcast on the associated medium or schedule advance recordings.
All of these particular situations, as well as others, provide challenges not only to those who desire to provide viewing-related products and services to users, but to those who desire to consume such products and services as well.